title: [Weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness in school students in the central region of Peru].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of overweight and obesity in relation to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels in school students in 4 districts of the central region of Peru, and to analyze the relations among these variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weight, height and CRF were evaluated in 7841 school students who reside in four districts located on the coast, in the highlands and in the jungle of the central region of the country. Overweight and obesity were classified according to the criteria proposed by Cole. CRF was evaluated by a 12-minute run/walk test taken from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance's test battery. ANOVA and logistic regression were used to examine the differences of the averages and the associations among these variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both male and female school students have similar frequency of overweight and obesity (20.9% in women and 20.1% in men). Residents of the coast (Barranco) presen thigh frequency of overweight and obesity (37.8%). Age, sex, geographical area and CRF were significant predictors of overweight and obesity. School students who live in Barranco are five times more likely to be obese (OR=4.67; CI95%: 3.55-6.14), while those who reside in the highlands (Junin) are less likely to be obese (OR=0.03; CI95%: 0.01-0.20). Furthermore, in contrast with students with high CRF, those with low CRF are more likely to be obese (OR=11.82; CI95%: 7.25-19.27).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high frequency of overweight and obesity among school students who reside in Barranco. Low CRF is associated with overweight and obesity.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional de Educación Enrique Guzmán y Valle, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Alcibíades
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bustamante
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D012119:Respiration